Problems with hydraulic clutch install

I got a slave and master cylinder for a 1980 cj5 with the 2.5 L engine in it, because many of the people that have put a hydro clutch on a mid '70s era cj5 say that it is what they have used.

For some reason, I can not get the slave to throw out the clutch far enough to disengage it. My clutch pedal pushes the rod into the master about 1.5 inches. Is this not far enough?

So I have a few questions for those of you who have done this/know anything about this:

How far down from the clutch pedal fulcrum (point at which the pedal rotates) did you put your master?
How far of a throw do you have your master set up for?
How far of a throw does the 1980 cj5 master/slave have?
Should I just keep moving the master down until it throws enough?
How far of a throw do I need on the slave to disengage the clutch?


Thanksss!

 

I had the same issues and finally got it but there's a checklist of things

Is your arm at the right angle? When barely touching the throwout bearing is it 90 degrees to the bellhousing?


Have you bled the system?

I had to shorten my clutch pedal

I recommend reading up on novaks site about clutches

 

Yeah I have read the Novak site on the clutches. I have bled the system, multiple times. It is about 90 degrees, I had to do some fabrication to the linkage arm.

 

It's hard to get all the air out of that system. Try breaking the line at the clutch master while holding pressure. This will get any air out of the line. The pedal throw should be determine by not bottoming out the piston. Mine is 3" down from the pivot.

 

Okay, yeah I am just under bottoming out the master piston.

I have bled it and bled it and bled it :-/ used almost 1/2 gallon of DOT 3

 

Update:
When I have no slack at all on the slave linkage, (if anything, I have some pressure on it), the slave piston moves a very very little amount (1/4-1/2 inch at most)
When I take all the presure of the linkage, the slave moves all the way up to where it stopped when there was pressure on it, but then stops.

HMMMM?

2 things....

When I mounted the slave, the holes where farther up on the bell housing than the fork, so I just welded a 'fork extension" to the top of the fork to extend up towards the slave. Its this okay to do? I saw someone else do it.

and,

My clutch fork has a lot of play in it up and down. is this normal?

Why is it pushing to on point then stopping. what it looks like is when the slave pushes it that point, it looks like the whole fork is torquing sideways.


thanks for the help everyone!

 

I did use a adjustable rod at the slave cylinder. Do you have one?

 

I did use a adjustable rod at the slave cylinder. Do you have one?

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I think it's your welded fork extension that's the problem. it is twisting the fork and locking the throw out bearing..(i think!)

 

Yeah I am using an adjustable one too. I am also using rubber fuel line.... could this be the problem? suppose the rubber is expanding instead of the piston?

 

Rubber fuel line is not designed for the high pressures of a hydraulic setup. I'd bet that the line starts to swell as soon as the TO bearing hits the clutch fingers which is when the pressure starts to climb.

I'd head to NAPA and get a proper hose made.

 

Yeahh!! thats what I was thinking too. I never gave it a thought before I put it on, but fuel line is designed for the high pressures.

 

Change the line. Fuel line is typically not rated for several hundred psi which is what hydraulic systems like brakes and clutches run. After that then check and see if the release arm is twisting and binding. You really want as straight a push on the release arm as possible.

 

What Nick said. If your extension is not directly in-line, you will get a lot of wear on the bearing retainer and pivot, with a number of possible side effects enhancing a sloppy release. The extension will also cause your slave cylinder to have to travel farther to release the clutch which is not usually a good thing with hydraulic clutches.

As for the line, I like to use steel brake line for most of it and just a short brake hose from the end of the steel to the slave.

 

Figured it out!!
I moved the slave downward, I didnt see one of the holes lower, it was covered in grease. So now the slave is back in line with the forks. I changed the fuel line to brake line, and everything works now!! Something as stupid as the wrong rubber hose.

Thanks for the help!!